Australia Accepts Delivery of First Air Warfare Destroyer

Defence Accepts Delivery of First Air Warfare Destroyer Hobart

(Source: Minister for Defence Industry; issued June 16, 2017)

With the delivery of Hobart, Australia has become the fourth Pacific country (and the sixth world-wide) to operate the Aegis area air-defense system. It will be followed by two sister-ships. (AWD Alliance photo)

Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Christopher Pyne MP, today attended a ceremony at the Osborne Naval Shipyard in Adelaide to mark the Government’s provisional acceptance of the first Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD) Hobart.

Minister Pyne said Hobart is the first of three AWD’s being built and integrated by the Air Warfare Destroyer Alliance which comprises the Department of Defence, Raytheon Australia, ASC and support from Navantia.

“The acceptance of this first-of-class ship is a further demonstration of the success of the Government-led reform initiative, with the program meeting all budget and schedule targets, Hobart will enter into service later this year,” Minister Pyne said.

“Hobart will play a critical role for Defence by providing new interoperable capabilities for the Royal Australian Navy.

“By using a combination of US and Australian technologies, these ships will allow us to work even closer with our allies.

“Importantly, these ships will provide a safer environment for Australia’s entire Defence Force, as they have the ability to move faster for longer, whilst forming a protective bubble around themselves and other assets in a task force,” he said.

Over the last decade, more than 5,000 skilled Australians have constructed all three AWD’s whilst also creating a new combat and support system to meet the unique needs of the Australian Defence Force.

Minister Pyne said provisional acceptance represented some of the most complex and innovative engineering accomplishments ever undertaken in Australia.

“These skills have taken over a decade to build and position Australia well to support the Government’s new Naval Shipbuilding Plan,” he said.

“The AWD program underscores the importance of Australia’s defence industry as a fundamental input into capability.

“Rather than just being a supplier for Defence, this program proves how Australian defence industry is truly a strategic partner with Defence.”

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First Air Warfare Destroyer Hobart Accepted by Defence

(Source: Air Warfare Destroyer Alliance; issued June 16, 2017)

OSBORNE, South Australia --- Today, the Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD) Alliance celebrated the Government’s provisional acceptance of the first destroyer, Hobart, at the Osborne Naval Shipyard in South Australia.

Hobart is the first of three destroyers being built and integrated by the AWD Alliance which comprises the Department of Defence, Raytheon Australia and ASC with support from Navantia. In the coming months, Hobart will transit from Adelaide to Sydney where she will be commissioned into service by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) later this year.

AWD Alliance General Manager Paul Evans said today’s provisional acceptance is a testament to more than 5,000 Australian shipbuilders and systems integrators who have worked on the AWD program over the past decade.

“Ten years ago, the AWD Alliance was formed to undertake the complex task of designing, constructing, integrating and testing a new class of warships for Australia. Along the way, we have created an entire workforce of highly skilled Australian shipbuilders, program managers and systems integrators.”

The importance of this workforce was reinforced by AWD Program Manager Commodore (CDRE) Craig Bourke. “I am proud to see our workforce meeting the program’s cost and schedule targets since the implementation of the Government’s successful reform initiative.”

“With Hobart entering service later this year, the Royal Australian Navy will gain an extremely capable surface combatant capability – one which will provide new levels of safety across an entire task force. Hobart will also allow our Navy to work more closely with our allies than ever before, because of its combination of US and Australian technology,” said CDRE Bourke.

CDRE Bourke also commended the Defence industry involvement in the AWD program over the past decade as a true example of industry’s shift to becoming a fundamental input into capability.

The AWD Alliance industry participants also expressed their pride in today’s achievement, including ASC Shipbuilding Chief Executive Officer, Mark Lamarre. “Delivery of the first destroyer Hobart represents the contribution of over 1,500 dedicated and highly skilled shipbuilders, working together over more than a decade to deliver the RAN a potent new air warfare capability,” he said.

“ASC Shipbuilding and our skilled workforce are immensely proud of building the Hobart ship platform, which successfully completed all sea trials with flying colours and will be critical to Hobart and its crew serving safely and effectively. It is another successful milestone on the AWD journey proving the highly skilled and professional naval capability that exists here in South Australia,” said Mr Lamarre.

Raytheon Australia Managing Director Michael Ward acknowledged the significance of today’s event, commenting on the contribution of AWD’s combat systems integration workforce. “As the combat systems integrator for the AWD program, Raytheon Australia has applied its highly skilled Australian workforce of 350 architects, systems engineers and project managers to the AWD project over the last decade,” he said.

“The AWD’s combat system integration activities represent some of the most advanced engineering and project management skills in this country. It is extremely satisfying that our strong investment in local capabilities has contributed so much to this provisional acceptance milestone today.

“Raytheon Australia is responsible for the integration of ten major subsystems, including the Aegis Weapon System, which is provided through Foreign Military Sales, and associated delivery of more than 3,500 major pieces of combat system equipment required to establish the warfighting capability of the AWD. This will contribute to making the AWD the most lethal and sophisticated warship ever operated by the RAN.

“The success of the combat system integration activity is a source of tremendous pride for Raytheon Australia. Not only have we performed admirably on this project but we have built for Australia a national asset in combat system integration,” said Mr Ward.

Finally, Managing Director Navantia Australia Paco Barón also praised the Alliance team on their achievement today. “Navantia Australia is proud to be part of this magnificent Australian naval shipbuilding milestone. Our team, working together with the Alliance, has contributed significantly to this great achievement,” he said.

“The acceptance of Hobart by the Commonwealth signifies what can be undertaken by Australian industry and bodes well for future shipbuilding programs in this country,” said Mr Barón.

The AWD Alliance, made up of shipbuilder ASC, mission systems integrator Raytheon Australia and the Government’s Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group, with support from shipbuilding manager Navantia Australia, is responsible for delivering three Hobart Class DDG destroyers and their support systems to the Department of Defence.

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Lockheed Martin Team Congratulates Australia in Joining the Global Aegis Fleet

(Source: Lockheed Martin; issued June 16, 2017)

ADELAIDE, Australia --– Lockheed Martin Australia congratulates the Commonwealth of Australia for receiving its first Aegis-equipped ship, HOBART at a ceremony marking the occasion today in Adelaide.

The handover of HOBART to the Department of Defence marks a significant milestone for Australia – officially joining the Lockheed Martin global Aegis fleet alongside Japan, Spain, Norway, the Republic of Korea and the United States.

HOBART marks the 107th ship to join the fleet and the sixth Allied nation to benefit from Aegis capabilities.

“Lockheed Martin Australia is continuing to invest in growing Australia’s maritime workforce. We are proud of the superior warfighting capability of Aegis and stand ready to support the Commonwealth with future programs – such as Australia’s Future Frigates, said Vince Di Pietro, Chief Executive, Lockheed Martin Australia.

“I am personally proud to see this next milestone achieved in capability, having had the privilege of ceremonially bringing the system to life in Moorestown while the Naval Attaché based in Washington DC,” continued Mr Di Pietro.

The Aegis Weapon System is a centralised, automated, command-and-control weapons control system that was designed as a total combat management system from detection to engagement. The Aegis Weapons System enables multi-mission capability, network centric warfare, cooperative engagement capability and growth to SM-6 and future capabilities.

The Hobart Class destroyers are being built under Australia’s SEA 4000 program, which will ultimately deliver three advanced multi-mission ships by the end of 2019. These destroyers will be Australia’s first ships to be equipped with Lockheed Martin’s Aegis Weapon System, which integrates commercial-off-the-shelf hardware technology and open architecture software into the combat system.

The next Aegis-enabled Ship scheduled for Australia, BRISBANE, continues to make good progress. A team of Lockheed Martin engineers and technicians have completed installation of the Aegis computer program aboard BRISBANE, Australia’s second Aegis-equipped Air Warfare Destroyer.

In support of the Commonwealth, Lockheed Martin and the U.S. Navy are committed to the successful delivery of Australia’s Hobart Class Aegis Destroyers.

Headquartered in Canberra, Lockheed Martin Australia is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation. The company employs more than 800 people in Australia working on a wide range of major programs spanning the aerospace, defence and civil sectors.

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